To conduct pre-decision scrutiny on developing proposals for a local contract framework for purchasing accommodation based services for care leavers and other vulnerable young people ahead of a key decision in 2020.

The committee considered a report by the Head of Community Commissioning (HCC) which provided an outline of the proposal for the accommodation and support framework for care leavers. The HCC introduced the report and raised the points below:

·         The proposal would be considered by Cabinet at the end of 2020 establish a new procurement framework for purchasing accommodation and support services for care leavers and looked after young people post 16.

·         Currently there was not a framework in place and the council relied on ad hoc spot purchases for placements.

·         The proposal is part of a wider strategic approach across the council to develop and improve the market for and the provision of support and accommodation for care leavers and looked after young people post 16.

·         The council was also involved in the strategic commissioning and recommissioning of services which will change the way in which some services are provided. There will however continue to be a reliance on spot purchases of individual placements for care leavers and looked after young people post 16 for a number of years.

·         The proposal for a framework is a way to exert greater control over the quality and price of placements. Currently placements are made from independent sector organisations which are often out of Herefordshire, of variable quality and were costly.

·         The framework is intended to ensure that: more young people can be placed within Herefordshire to stay connected to families and the community; the council pays a fairer amount for placements; and the quality of placements is consistently high.

·         The framework will function by inviting providers to join the framework which incorporates rules for a range of elements including quality and price. Where the need for a placement arises providers on the framework are invited to undertaken a mini-competition to provide a placement for an individual.

·         Where a framework is introduced to a market for the first time the impact is likely to be gradual and there is uncertainty over the length of time it will take for the framework to take effect. It is important to ensure a balance between the controls exerted by the framework, particularly in respect of price and quality, but the framework also needs to be attractive to providers to join. It was proposed that controls would be introduced gradually; once the framework was fully operation the controls could be amended and increased.

·         The framework would be taken to the market in January 2021 and the framework would be fully operational by April 2021.

During the debate the committee raised the following points:

·         There was support for the framework which would provide the council with greater control over where vulnerable children and young people would be placed and that accommodation would be appropriate to their needs. It was recognised that the framework would also improve the quality and standard of accommodation.

·         It was noted that recent statistics at a performance challenge had shown that 87% of care leaves were in suitable accommodation which was a significant improvement on previous performance.

·         There was concern that planning controls over applications for homes of multiple occupancy were not sufficiently robust to ensure that developments provided suitable accommodation for vulnerable young people.

·         The framework would help to prevent harm occurring to young people as a consequence of a market without appropriate controls.

·         An objective of the framework to provide placements within Herefordshire was welcomed and supported.

·         It was queried if the council had sufficient resource and capacity to operate and maintain buildings that it purchased and if comparisons of cost against purchased placements would be undertaken. The HCC explained that the council owned properties which provided support to vulnerable young people and the model in place at the authority was sound. In some cases accommodation would be sought through leases rather than council-owned properties with a mixed approach developed over time. The senior commissioning officer (SCO) explained it was important to consider all options to ensure a wider local offer for young people. The framework would seek providers of accommodation and support and would shape the market in the interests of young people. The HCC explained that the rationale behind having greater control over physical accommodation was that commercial providers tended to charge a significant mark-up on the cost of accommodation. This remained a relatively small part of the overall costs for placements but was part of the additional costs the council was paying.

·         The timeframe for the introduction of the framework was supported but was considered to be over a short period and there was concern that it might not be delivered within the deadlines. It was queried if the short timeframe was based on the experience of other councils. The HCC explained that the timeframe would be reviewed with cabinet to determine if it was too ambitious. The council had experience of introducing frameworks for similar people-centred services and three months for its introduction from the new year was felt to be sufficient. There would be a phased introduction of controls and it was important that the framework attracted a range of providers to ensure a competitive market.   

·         Where placements were sought it was queried whether this was throughout Herefordshire and not solely in the city of Hereford. The attractiveness and suitability of the placements and facilities to young people was raised and the access they would have to support and training locally. The HCC explained that it was recognised that accommodation purchased through the framework may be in Hereford City or the market towns but it was unlikely that young people would be accommodated in rural areas or village environments. All accommodation would be located after an assessment of the access young people would have to facilities and services including education, training and other forms of support. It was recognised that a lot of young people had been accommodated in Hereford to ensure access to the college.     

·         The current numbers of care leavers placed out of the county was queried. The Head of Looked After Children (HLAC) explained that details of the exact number of care leavers living out of county were not immediately available but it was explained that it was a significant number. Some were living close to Herefordshire in the bordering counties of Worcestershire or Gloucestershire which met their need to be close to families and colleges. There were however a large number of young people who were placed further away which was not desirable. In some examples this situation had developed as children had been placed out of county as younger looked after children and had developed links with educational settings and communities. Where children wished to stay within an out-of-county area and where this was supported by the service it would be facilitated in line with the placement strategy. However it was recognised that relationships could be fragile therefore a whole-system approach was being implemented to attempt to keep looked after children as local as possible and the work undertaken on the framework provided more options to care leavers supporting attempts to keep looked after children and care leavers in the county. The number of looked after children placed out of county was monitored and a similar system should be developed for care leavers.      

·         An update on progress with the new accommodation for care leavers in Widemarsh Street was requested. The HCC explained that a new service in the centre of Hereford had been launched for care leavers with complex needs and was operational. The facility would be at full capacity later in September and there was satisfaction with the high standard and the service that had been commissioned.

·         The report identified that 48 young people would reach the age of 18 up to February 2022 of which 25 would require a light touch approach; what contingency was required to meet the needs of this cohort and how was this predicted. The length of placement contracts was queried and if they were for a fixed period or were flexible and responsive to need. The HLAC explained that to predict numbers the service met with the commissioning team on a three monthly basis to review the needs analysis. An assessment of each child moving towards 18 was undertaken and their likely need for accommodation and support. A number of young people were placed with families and carers and would move into adulthood with limited or no support from the council. Young people with a higher level of need were identified as requiring support and a range of accommodation was now available. This included supported lodgings providers which could provide accommodation for a couple of months or up until to the age of 21. There was access to the new facility in Widemarsh Street and the commissioned service provided there; when a young person left the facility other young people with complex needs could be accommodated there. The new Bath Street development, which was going out to tender, would provide further options to enable young people to move on when needed and a waiting list would be managed to ensure there were no voids in the building. The arrangements worked on the basis of providing reasonable notice to providers and landlords. The demand of young people and waiting lists were managed by the service but there was not a long term contractual commitment around placements. The HCC explained that the commissioned services were intended to be transitional at a maximum of two years but usually a shorter period of time. As young people move out of services and placements others will fill the places. The purchase of placements through the framework would be based on reasonable but short periods of notice to providers and the period of placements procured would likely be over a number of weeks. Notice periods and lengths of placements would be defined in the framework as it was developed. The SCO explained that the provision was not solely for care leavers; the framework was initially for care leavers but other schemes were for all vulnerable young people.

·         As corporate parents the commitment to housing young people locally and providing accommodation of a high standard was welcomed.

The cabinet member children and families explained that the framework was a positive step forward and it was important that looked after children had the same opportunities as other children. There was a desire to ensure that more looked after children could be accommodated locally and in a high standard of accommodation to assist in transition towards independent lives. It was always important to retain a focus on cost and the framework would help reduce expenditure on placements.

Councillor Carole Gandy proposed and Councillor Diana Toynbee seconded the recommendations of the committee which were agreed unanimously.

RESOLVED: That the committee:

·         Welcomes and supports the proposal for the accommodation and support framework for care leavers; and

·         Recommends that the timetable for the introduction of the framework is reviewed and a view reached if it is too ambitious or realistic and achievable.